NEW ORLEANS — Dozens gathered Thursday evening outside of the home where four children and a woman were attacked by a man with a hammer, killing three of them, early Thursday morning.
“Oh, God! Rest these three souls,” one relative shouted through sobs. “They’re in a better place now.”
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto said Terrance Leonard, 33, admitted to attacking four children with a hammer. They say he killed two of them: 10-year-old Ayden Riley and his 8-year-old cousin De’ryona Enclade. Also dead, Leonard’s girlfriend, 32-year-old Kristina Riley.
Riley’s other daughters, ages 12 and 14, are fighting for their lives in the hospital.
Lopinto said Leonard gave no reason for the attack after he was taken into custody and spoke to detectives. He was booked with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and a count of obstruction of justice.
The obstruction of justice charge stemmed from Leonard trying to hide the hammer and from his efforts to clean up the crime scene, Lopinto said.
A first-degree murder conviction can carry the death penalty in Louisiana. Lopinto said he would support that if the District Attorney’s office chooses to take that route.
“Would I support it? The answer's yes,” Lopinto said.
The attacks reportedly happened as the four children slept in their beds, Lopinto said. When Kristina Riley returned home about 2 a.m. Thursday, Leonard reportedly attacked her.
The news left the close-knit family stunned.
“We got to bury three, including two children, because this man decided that he wanted to be on an angry rampage,” another relative said during the memorial.
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Adam Enclade Sr. struggled to find the words to describe how he felt.
“Aw, man. It's hard thing. My granddaughter and my great-grandchildren,” he said. “This fool took 'em.”
Leonard remained jailed Thursday. A judge refused to set bond for the three first-degree murder counts.